A Child's First Christmas
by R. L. Ravenclaw
Summary: This is about Rose's first Christmas and what happened after A Bit Too Much rum. This is just a short cute story so don't expect anything too big.
1. Chapter: Doubting Decisions

**A Child's First Christmas**

**Chapter 1: Doubting Decisions**

**Author's notes: Okay, I'm writing a Christmas story in August, so what? It's a free country. Anyway, here it goes.**

As the month of December approached, the weather was a little colder in the Caribbean than it usually was, but nobody seemed to mind. For they were all too busy getting ready for one of the biggest holidays of the year, Christmas. All of Port Royal was a buzz with preparations for the big day. The mansions were being decorated for the big Christmas balls, the streets were filled with colorful wreaths and holly, and the poorer people of the town did their best to get money so they could give their families a proper Christmas. One of such as this was a young man by the name of Jack Sparrow. He had been working harder than anyone in the entire town to get money for a decent Christmas for this was his little daughter's first. Unfortunately, working for the East India Trading Company didn't bring much money in unless you had been working for them for at least two years or more so he didn't have much to spare for Christmas. But he did what he could for his little family. So with a heavy heart he walked back to the small apartment he and his family called home which wasn't the warmest place in town, but still had a roof over their heads even if it did leak every now and then. Quickly, he opened the door and walked inside to find his wife cooking at the old stove, "It's about time you got back." Arabella said as he walked in.

"I had to work late, again." He said, glumly as he sat down at the table, "I sure hope that promotion comes soon or we're going to die of starvation."

Arabella rolled her eyes at this, "We are not going to die of starvation and ye know it."

Jack sighed in devastation, "I wouldn't count on it, luv."

"Oh, don't be such a downer." She said as she walked over to the stove and took the steaming kettle off it. She pushed a mug of tea in front of him and sat down across the table.

Jack finally looked up at her as she smiled slightly at him. He felt like crap for bringing her here of all places and not having even enough money to make a decent life for her and their daughter, "Where's Rosie?" he asked.

"Napping, but I don't know how much longer since she probably heard your voice." Arabella chuckled.

"I think I hear her babbling." Jack said as he stood up and made his way to the only bedroom in the tiny apartment. As quietly as he could, he opened the door and saw her lying in her crib babbling away as she stared up at the ceiling. When she heard someone walk into the room, she turned her little head and saw him coming towards her. She let out a shriek of delight and sat up when he stood in front of the crib. He smiled as he picked her up, "Ello darling." He said before kissing her forehead and walking back to the kitchen, "Has she said her first word yet?" he asked, standing beside Arabella as she cooked over the stove.

"No, but I think she's getting close." She replied, smiling down at the baby girl in his arms.

Jack looked at his six-month-old who looked so much like him with her dark brown curls and big brown eyes, "Come luv, say daddy." He pleaded. She just laid her head on his shoulder and put her thumb in her mouth still not saying a thing.

Arabella put her hands on her hips and glared at him, "So you're trying to get her to say daddy before mommy to make me mad right?"

Jack smiled at her innocently, "No, I'm just trying to show that she's a daddy's girl."

Arabella just gave him a flat look, completely not buying his stupid story, "Sure you are and I'm the daughter of a governor."

Jack rolled his eyes at his wife's sarcasm and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder before kissing her lips. She leaned into him with a sigh and looked at her little baby on his hip, "We need to find a way to give her a decent Christmas, Jack."

"That's why I've been working harder. I'm trying to get that promotion so we can." He said, sadness clearly in his voice.

"Did we make the right decision?" Arabella asked when she looked up into her husband's sadden face.

"If we didn't say we'd come, they'd have killed us, Belle." He reasoned.

Arabella groaned in frustration, "Oh, I hate this."

Jack kissed her head to calm her down, "So do I, darling."

Rose interrupted their little discussion when she started to fuss. "Jack, keep her occupied while I get her bottle warmed up." Arabella said as she let go and went to get Rose's bottle ready.

Jack nodded and then thought of the perfect way to keep his child occupied for the time being. He smiled as he threw Rose up in the air and caught her making her giggle with delight. His smile grew as he continued to play with her. But when Arabella saw what she was doing, she gasped and her eyes widened with worry, "Jack, you're going to drop her!" she shouted.

Jack gave her a horrified look as he stopped, "I am not. Besides look at her, she loves it."

Arabella pulled the bottle out of the water and tested it on her arm while mumbling how stupid men could be at times, "Give her to me." She ordered.

"Fine" Jack said in defeat, "Rosie, go see your mummy." He said as he handed her mother.

Arabella cradled the baby in her arms and smiled as she put the bottle in her mouth. Rose stared up at her father as she drank from it. Jack smiled down at the child and the sight of Arabella cuddling her close. But then an awful guilt hit him like a ton of bricks when he remembered that he could barely support them. Now he wished he had listened to his father and stayed in Shipwreck Cove even if it was a pirate haven. If he had stayed, he would've been able to at least give his girls a few things for Christmas and he wouldn't have to work until he almost passed out from exhaustion just to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads which still leaked by the way. The real world was horrible and Jack hated it with all his heart. He would never be able to keep this up unless the unthinkable happened and Beckett would promote him. When he went upstairs and collapsed on his bed, he wished he had thought it over more and had listened to his father better then he wouldn't be in this horrible mess where his family's life was on the line.

**Author's notes: So how was it? Bad? Good? Awful? Help me!**


	2. Chapter: A Sweet Surprise

**Chapter 2: A Sweet Surprise**

Jack awoke at 4:00 the next morning to go to his backbreaking work. During his long day of doing whatever his boss told him to do like moving crates or even shining his freak'n shoes, he was ordered to report to Beckett office immediately. Jack sighed and dropped the crate he was carrying before walking up to Beckett's office. He knocked on the door and heard Beckett order him to come inside. Jack slowly stepped into the room, "You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked

"Yes, Mr. Sparrow" Beckett said as he looked up from his desk, "Please have a seat." He said, motioning to the chair in front of his desk. Jack sat down and waited for Beckett to seal his fate, but he already had a feeling this wasn't good. Beckett was probably going to fire him and send his wife and child into the streets, but maybe then Jack could take them back to Shipwreck Cove. "Your work is strangely better than I expected. You're becoming much more valuable to the Company." Jack wasn't sure if that was an insult or a complement so he just kept his mouth shut and continued to wait for what was to come. "So since your services are becoming better, you are needed in different areas of the Company. This position will of course pay more and is more respectable than your current one."

"Are you saying you're promoting me?" Jack asked a little astounded. He couldn't believe his ears for he had been told from time to time how cruel of a man Beckett was, but now he wasn't so sure.

"Yes, that's exactly what I am doing, Mr. Sparrow. Please report back here at 6:00 tomorrow. You may have the rest of the day off since you in fact work much harder than the rest of these...men." He replied

"Thank you, sir" Jack said, still not believing what just happened. Now he had a chance to make something better of himself and a chance to make a better life for his beautiful wife and precious child.

As he walked home, he decided that he was going to surprise Arabella with something special Christmas morning to tell her about the promotion and the new hope they now had. When he reached the horrible apartment, he flung the door open and walked up stairs to find his wife fast asleep in the rocking chair rocking cradling their small daughter in her arms who was still wide awake. Obviously, it had been a hard day with the baby what with the look of exhaustion on Arabella's sleeping face. Jack quietly walked over to her sleeping form and kissed her right on the lips. She slowly opened her eyes and got a look of shock on her face when she saw him standing there, "What are you doing home so early?" she asked

"They just sent us home early. Nothing more than that." He dismissed as he picked up Rose who was reaching for him with a smile on her face, "Come on Rosie, say daddy." He pleaded with an evil grin on his face. Instead of doing as he asked, she just reached up and grabbed his hair with the same evil grin on her own face. "Ow" he whined like a child.

Arabella giggled at this, "She'll say what she wants in her own time and no sooner than that."

"You stubborn little girl" Jack said as he tickled her belly. Rose giggled and snuggled up closer to him which just made him smile. He loved his little baby more than life itself even though he thought he would never be caught dead holding an infant or even having one of his own, but things change especially if you get a little too drunk one night and you end up getting someone pregnant. But he knew if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't change a thing.

"Well, it's about time I got dinner on the table." Arabella said as she got up from the rocking chair.

"I'll keep an eye on our girl." Jack said as she left.

"Thanks Jack" She smiled from the door before going into the kitchen.

"So what did you do today, luv?" Jack asked Rose as he set a blanket on the floor. He gently placed her on it and sat down beside her. He grabbed a few toys from a small, wooden box nearby and handed them to her. She took them into her chubby, little hands and started chewing on them with her small amount of teeth. After a minute, she looked up at her father and smiled brightly. Jack tickled her chin and kissed her head, "So what do you want for Christmas, Rosie?" he asked. She completely ignored him and kept biting her rag doll's head. "I take that has a 'figure it out yourself because I can't talk yet." She looked up at him after he said this and crawled into his lap, babbling as if she was speaking English. "Well, if you can't tell me what I should get you than maybe you can help me with Mummy's present." She smiled has if in response. "Yeah, with all that money I'm getting, I could afford a decent house. Good idea Rosie. But don't you dare tell your mother." Jack said and smiled as she babbled again. He sighed as he picked her up, "Mummy is probably wondering why we're not down there for dinner." He said as he took her to kitchen. Later that night, he decided he would look for a house tomorrow after work. He just couldn't wait to see Arabella's face when she saw their new house.

* * *

The next day, his new job was a tad better, but it still wasn't as good as sailing the seas even though it did pay a lot better. He worked until 5:00 and after getting off of it he looked for the house that he could raise his daughter in. After walking for at least two hours, he saw a couple, but they were worse than his apartment. He was just about ready to give up when he spotted an old friend by the name of Henry Stevens. "Jack, haven't seen you around here in while." He said as he caught up with him. Henry was a tall man with straight brown hair pulled back with string. He worked for the EITC as well, but had a higher status than Jack.

"Well, I usually never came around here until I joined the East India Trading Company." Jack said as he walked down the street with his friend.

"Really? That's wonderful. Why did you suddenly join them?" he asked

"I needed the money because I ended up with a family." He lied. Jack really didn't want people to know the truth about how they forced him to join or they'd kill his family. Plus he wanted to make sure Rose never found out about how he joined the Company.

"Did you just say family?"Henry asked completely surprised at the idea of Jack having his own family. Jack nodded, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean a wife and a daughter." Jack replied rather proudly.

"Well, congratulations, so where do you live?"

"You don't want to know, mate, but I finally got the money to afford a decent house. I just can't find one in this blasted town." He said in frustration.

"Did you try White Avenue? I know a guy up there that is looking to sell his old house for a pretty good price." Henry suggested.

"No, but I'm going to go check that out. Thanks mate."

"No problem, Jack. Hey, whenever you do find a house let me know so I can drop by and meet your family." Henry said as he headed down the opposite street.

"Will do" Jack said with a wave before he turned and headed to White Avenue. The houses around there were good-sized and didn't cost all that much. He wished he had thought of this hours ago. He finally found the house that was for sale and the owner. Jack had to haggle a little bit before he got a decent price, but he soon shook on the deal and told him he would move in Christmas day. Jack walked back to the house with the biggest smile on his face while wishing that Christmas would get here fast.

**Author's notes: I know these are short, but it's not really meant to be long so please understand.**


	3. Chapter: Rose's Special Gift

**Chapter 3: Rose's Special Gift**

**Chapter 3: Rose's Special Gift**

Finally, it was Christmas morning. Jack woke up early and set out a note for Arabella along with a new outfit that she had been eyeing in the store for a few months. He had moved a few things to the new house the night before without her noticing so he still had to finish up. He still had enough to replace the furniture that was falling apart like the old bed they slept on and the crib Rose slept in. After he had finished, he walked back to the apartment and found Arabella looking around the house in her new outfit with a confused look on her face. "Jack, were we robbed?" she asked

"No, get Rosie ready to go and be back down here in ten minutes."

"Why?" she asked in a suspicious tone.

"Because I said so and you're not getting any other gifts until you get her." He replied with that mischievous grin on his face.

A few minutes later, she walked down the stairs with Rose in her arms. "Now show me what you're up to." She said

He offered her his arm and led her down the street and to White Avenue. He led her to their new house which was a two-story white house with mahogany windows and a large wooden door. It had two washrooms and three bedrooms. The kitchen was twice the size of the one in the apartment and the stove was a lot newer. There was a decent sized parlor and a small dining room connected to the kitchen. Arabella looked at the house with confusion. "Jack, why are we here?" she asked

He smiled and pulled out a brass key. Then he opened the door and pulled her into the parlor. It still wasn't clicking so he finally gave up. "Belle, you still haven't gotten it yet, have you?"

She thought about it for a minute and then it clicked. "Wait, are you saying you bought this place? Jack, how can we afford this? We're barely getting food on the table as it is."

"I got that promotion and now we can afford this house and a lot of other things."

"Oh, Jack" she embraced him with her free arm, "It's perfect."

"So this means you're not mad at me for not saying anything?"

"Well, under other circumstances, I would be, but not now."

They pulled away from each other and looked around the house. Arabella couldn't believe her eyes. She had never had something this nice in her life. Everything was new and beautiful. "Jack, I can't believe you did this."

"Believe it, luv. I'm a lot better than your mother thinks."

"I guess you are." She said with a smile.

He leaned down and kissed her lips. They pulled away from the kiss and stared at their child who had wondered where she was the whole time. Jack took her from her mother, "What do you think of this place, Rosie?"

She smiled and leaned on his shoulder, "Dada" she said

Jack smiled from ear to ear, "Belle, did you hear what she said?"

"Yes" she said in defeat. She had practiced with Rose for hours to say mama, but it turns out she was and forever would be a daddy's girl.

"That's my girl" Jack said. He tossed Rose up in the air and caught her. His life was perfect now. He had the perfect wife and the best little girl. If only he knew what would happen in the future. Oh well, for the time being, he had a good life.

**Author's notes: Well, it was meant to be short and sweet. I also had to include Rose's first word so Jack could rub it in Arabella's face for all eternity even when Rose was eighteen. Anyway, reviews please.**


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